DIY Pirate Radio

[farleft]

Hello,

Does anyone have any tips on setting up a pirate radio station?

Other than what I have already read such as:

http://c6.org/archive/radio/pirate-fm.html...u'll%20need (http://c6.org/archive/radio/pirate-fm.html#What%20you'll%20need)


Any/all help would be appreciated.

[seraphim]

Don't do it in London. 98% of the UK police budget for finding pirate radio staions is spent in London. If however you live in rural areas it's pretty simple and your very unlikely to get caught. Also if your just playing music and don't speak it doesn't constitute radio but then where's the fun in that.

The best use of transmitters is to broadcast music from a free party over a short distance especially if your out in a field that way if people want to chill out in their cars and have a smoke or get warm they can tune in to the radio and still hear the music from the party!

[The Advent of Anarchy]

Where could we buy radio transmitters that broadcasts far that's under $75?

[RedCommieBear]

Phrack Magazine did a good article (http://phrack.org/issues.html?issue=62&id=11#article) on it a while back. It covers a lot of the technical aspects of it.

According to the site you gave, a 5 or 10 watt FM transmitter is good for local broadcasts. 15 Watt FM transmitter (http://www.quasarelectronics.com/1021.htm) for £124.95.

I used a know a bit about this sort of thing, but I can't remember any of it now.

Hope I helped a bit.

[Dr Mindbender]

Steal one of these fuckers. :D
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~uncletony/images/radio_london.jpg

[Red Scare]

Originally posted by Ulster [email protected] 25, 2007 03:45 pm
Steal one of these fuckers. :D
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~uncletony/images/radio_london.jpg
lol

[seraphim]

This website is pretty useful

pirate radio (http://www.irational.org/sic/radio/pirate-fm.html)

[farleft]

Yeah irrational is pretty useful.

I didnt realise that if you dont talk then its not considered radio lol but like you say there would be no fun in that.

I'm currently looking for a over 10watt tx transmitter.

In the mean time I have set up an online station using shoutcast (Peoples Radio (http://www.shoutcast.com/directory/?s=Peoples%20Radio))

[seraphim]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26, 2007 10:41 am
I didnt realise that if you dont talk then its not considered radio lol but like you say there would be no fun in that.


Exactly, but it is useful for the free party thing I mentioned earlier. Though not to broadcast a political message.

[Dr Mindbender]

...So if you want to communicate with your listeners do you sing the words rather than say them? I dont know.. :blink:

[Samuel]

abbie hoffman wrote it up in Steal This Book, which you can find online.

the exact section about guerrilla broadcasting is here: http://tenant.net/Community/steal/steal.html#3.02.0

[farleft]

Peoples Radio (http://www.shoutcast.com/directory/?s=Peoples%20Radio)


5:00pm - 1:00am
Monday - Friday
(Metal/Rock till 9:00pm - Rock/Punk/Ska/Reggae after)

6:00pm - 2:00am
Saturday
(Metal/Rock till 10:00pm - Rock/Punk/Ska/Reggae after)

6:00pm - 12:00 Midnight
Sunday
(Metal/Rock till 9:00pm - Rock/Punk/Ska/Reggae after)



All times are Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

[farleft]

Improvements/suggestions are very much welcome.

We take requests, you can either AIM us on PeoplesRadio or MSN us at [email protected]

[farleft]

The reason Peoples Radio doesn't run 24/7 is due to a lack of man power here in London.

So for now we will be sticking to the above times.

Thanks.

[Qwerty Dvorak]

Incidentally, what kind of stuff would one broadcast on pirate radio, apart from music? And is pirate radio a strictly anarchist phenomenon, or do other strands of dissident also have them?

[farleft]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2007 12:32 am
Incidentally, what kind of stuff would one broadcast on pirate radio, apart from music? And is pirate radio a strictly anarchist phenomenon, or do other strands of dissident also have them?
Loads of non political people run pirate radio stations, normally people who just want to hear some "real" music and not plastic fantastic shit.

As for the online radio stations, its not a case of pirate or not, some do it commercially and some just for fun.

[seraphim]

Originally posted by farleft+July 02, 2007 12:07 pm--> (farleft @ July 02, 2007 12:07 pm)
[email protected] 02, 2007 12:32 am
Incidentally, what kind of stuff would one broadcast on pirate radio, apart from music? And is pirate radio a strictly anarchist phenomenon, or do other strands of dissident also have them?
Loads of non political people run pirate radio stations, normally people who just want to hear some "real" music and not plastic fantastic shit.

As for the online radio stations, its not a case of pirate or not, some do it commercially and some just for fun. [/b]
Radio 1 was originally strarted as a pirate radio station.

[Connolly]

I guess I lost many of the links I had.. <_<

Anyway, I still have these ones...

http://www.frn.net/special/prsg/

http://www.irational.org/sic/radio/

http://www.irational.org/radio/radio_guide/

[farleft]

Amended operating times:

17:00 – 20:00
Indie – Pop

20:00 – 23:00
Punk-Rock – Ska – Reggae

23:00 – 02:00
Metal – Hard Rock

02:00 – 05:00
Trance – Techno – Electro – Acid

05:00 – 08:00
HipHop – Rap – RnB

08:00 – 11:00
Soul – Motown – Blues

11:00 – 14:00
Folk – Protest

14:00 – 17:00
All time classics


All times are Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

[Question everything]

About how far does your station broadcast?

[redcannon]

I live in a pretty hilly area. Suppose I get a 10W transmitter and position it at the top of a large hill, about how far will it broadcast? Ideas are brewing in my head for Southern California Communist and Anarchist Radio....

[midnight marauder]

i&#39;m sure these are very outdated documents, but i recall there being a ton of guides to guerrilla radio at http://www.textfiles.com/directory.html

you might have to look around a bit, but it might be helpful.

good luck&#33;

[redcannon]

alright, the idea in my head is itching to get out. I&#39;m not too technical, but I have a few friends that are. In the meantime, someone look at this FM transmitter (http://www.pcs-electronics.com/transmitter-package-p-291.html) package. What else would I need to broadcast? NOTE: This would be for me and others to talk live, not music.

[Connolly]

About how far does your station broadcast?

Depends on lots of factors.

Antenna height
Terrain
Transmitter power
Antenna type
Weather




alright, the idea in my head is itching to get out.

:D :D

I know how it feels&#33;&#33;&#33;


What else would I need to broadcast? NOTE: This would be for me and others to talk live, not music.

Im still learning about this stuff myself, but ill answer if I can.

Well im not sure what exactly your plan is....

Two way communication?.....that transmitter is not what youd need. You need a CB radio for that( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cb_radio). One where you say "Hello, over and out" then cease transmission to allow the other person to use the frequency. The CB radio will also recieve transmissions. You could also use walkie talkies depending how far you live apart. FM frequencies are not very flexible and can be hindered in lots of ways so youd need high ground or antenna to go any reasonable distance - no matter what power the transmitter is.

Basically, for two way communication using this "package", you would need...

2 Transmitters

2 Antenna (both located on high ground)

Co-ax cable (cable which goes from transmitter to antenna)(For every foot of this cable you lose power and therefore potential distance - so the antenna and transmitter must be close together)

2 Limiters (which are mainly optional) which will improve signal and sort out whats been transmitted so there is no fuzzy noise and that)

2 recievers (a household radio would do)

2 Power source

2 computers with sound card

2 Microphones

2 suitable software on computer

Most importantly - 2 frequencies. If you live in a large city there may be no available frequencies left to broadcast on - (and you are looking for 2 when using a setup like this&#33;&#33;&#33;) Most are taken up by commercial stations - others are taken up by other pirates - and you wouldnt want to interupt these guys http://youtube.com/watch?v=X7FldOQ2DwQ :D This documentary is actually quite good&#33;&#33;

So basically - as a two way system, this is not what this transmitter is deigned for. You need a CB transciever.

[Connolly]

Just though id post this......WELL worth watching for those interested in radio....

TOWER BLOCK DREAMS

Part 1

http://youtube.com/watch?v=X7FldOQ2DwQ

Part 2

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DZwumDZvMNc&mode=related&search=

goes up to part 6 or 7......


If this bunch can do it - I dont see why political revolutionaries arnt out there broadcasting their views.

Get going&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

[counterblast]

My collective house used to run a pretty notorious pirate radio station called, Black Cat Radio aka Free Radio Memphis (http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Compliance/News_Releases/1998/nrci8021.html). We got shut down by the feds in 1999, and got dragged into a ridiculous national scandal.

I&#39;m not sure how much pricing has changed, but we got all of our equipment for about &#036;180 from a dealer in Little Rock, AR.

I could provide you with more specifics about the dealer by letter, or phone, but I don&#39;t want to risk revealing our source to any "prying eyes".

[Connolly]

My collective house used to run a pretty notorious pirate radio station called, Black Cat Radio aka Free Radio Memphis. We got shut down by the feds in 1999, and got dragged into a ridiculous national scandal.

I&#39;m not sure how much pricing has changed, but we got all of our equipment for about &#036;180 from a dealer in Little Rock, AR.

I could provide you with more specifics about the dealer by letter, or phone, but I don&#39;t want to risk revealing our source to any "prying eyes".

Pretty good&#33; That looks like one bloody cheap price for all the kit, though I dont think the contact would be of use to me over here.

What power was the transmitter?

How did they track you down?

What methods to avoid detection did you use?

Did you have a permanent studio? - was it separate from the transmission site?
What was the content being played - anarchist, revolutionary, just music etc?

Sorry for all the questions :D

[counterblast]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 18, 2007 09:56 am

My collective house used to run a pretty notorious pirate radio station called, Black Cat Radio aka Free Radio Memphis. We got shut down by the feds in 1999, and got dragged into a ridiculous national scandal.

I&#39;m not sure how much pricing has changed, but we got all of our equipment for about &#036;180 from a dealer in Little Rock, AR.

I could provide you with more specifics about the dealer by letter, or phone, but I don&#39;t want to risk revealing our source to any "prying eyes".

Pretty good&#33; That looks like one bloody cheap price for all the kit, though I dont think the contact would be of use to me over here.

What power was the transmitter?

How did they track you down?

What methods to avoid detection did you use?

Did you have a permanent studio? - was it separate from the transmission site?
What was the content being played - anarchist, revolutionary, just music etc?

Sorry for all the questions :D
We used a 20-watt transmitter.

As for the studio and methods to avoid detection, we actually used an abandoned maintanence closet at a local university parking garage, which provided us with free electricity. It was one story below the transmission site. We set up transmission on the top story (5th floor) of the parking garage. We went 4 years without any sort of detection. We could have easily went longer, had the FCC not started "cracking down" on illegal radio stations in 1999. They closed down something like 45 of them that year.

We ended up getting our equipment taken away. And we got jailed for 6 months, not for the illegal broadcast, but stealing electricity from the university.

We played all sorts of stuff. We played underground hip hop, blues, folk, crust/d-beat, 70&#39;s political rock, reggae, and metal. We&#39;d get local bands like His Hero is Gone (crust) or the Memphis Sheiks (political blues) to play live for us sometimes. We also had discussions on feminism, radical politics, queer liberation, corporate radio, local activism, labor issues, ect, ect.

[Connolly]

We used a 20-watt transmitter.

As for the studio and methods to avoid detection, we actually used an abandoned maintanence closet at a local university parking garage, which provided us with free electricity. It was one story below the transmission site. We set up transmission on the top story (5th floor) of the parking garage. We went 4 years without any sort of detection. We could have easily went longer, had the FCC not started "cracking down" on illegal radio stations in 1999. They closed down something like 45 of them that year.

We ended up getting our equipment taken away. And we got jailed for 6 months, not for the illegal broadcast, but stealing electricity from the university.

We played all sorts of stuff. We played underground hip hop, blues, folk, crust/d-beat, 70&#39;s political rock, reggae, and metal. We&#39;d get local bands like His Hero is Gone (crust) or the Memphis Sheiks (political blues) to play live for us sometimes. We also had discussions on feminism, radical politics, queer liberation, corporate radio, local activism, labor issues, ect, ect.

Hey fair play to you. And the prison was for stealing electricity :lol:, jasus. And six months is abit harsh, though you must have ran up some bill :) .

Do you mind me asking just a couple more questions.... :blush:

How many hours per week did you broadcast, and hours per day?

Do you know approximately how much listenership you had? - id imagine itd be quite alot seeing you were around for a time.

Did you use an RDS encoder to display your stations name on recievers?

What sort of range were you covering with a 20 watt transmitter?

Would you consider doing it again?

Thanks in advance&#33; :D

[counterblast]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 18, 2007 08:23 pm

We used a 20-watt transmitter.

As for the studio and methods to avoid detection, we actually used an abandoned maintanence closet at a local university parking garage, which provided us with free electricity. It was one story below the transmission site. We set up transmission on the top story (5th floor) of the parking garage. We went 4 years without any sort of detection. We could have easily went longer, had the FCC not started "cracking down" on illegal radio stations in 1999. They closed down something like 45 of them that year.

We ended up getting our equipment taken away. And we got jailed for 6 months, not for the illegal broadcast, but stealing electricity from the university.

We played all sorts of stuff. We played underground hip hop, blues, folk, crust/d-beat, 70&#39;s political rock, reggae, and metal. We&#39;d get local bands like His Hero is Gone (crust) or the Memphis Sheiks (political blues) to play live for us sometimes. We also had discussions on feminism, radical politics, queer liberation, corporate radio, local activism, labor issues, ect, ect.

Hey fair play to you. And the prison was for stealing electricity :lol:, jasus. And six months is abit harsh, though you must have ran up some bill :) .

Do you mind me asking just a couple more questions.... :blush:

How many hours per week did you broadcast, and hours per day?

Do you know approximately how much listenership you had? - id imagine itd be quite alot seeing you were around for a time.

Did you use an RDS encoder to display your stations name on recievers?

What sort of range were you covering with a 20 watt transmitter?

Would you consider doing it again?

Thanks in advance&#33; :D
When we started the radio station, we only aired Wednesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays from 3:00 PM til 8:00 PM. We picked these days/times because the university was least busy. But as we got more into it, and a bigger fan base we started broadcasting 5 days a week (Wed.-Sun.) from 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM.

As for listenership, I have no way of knowing for sure. I would say we had an average listenership of about 8,000. For a non-commercial radio station in the 90&#39;s, this was a lot.


No, at the time RDS encoders werent used very often in the US. I don&#39;t think they even became standard here &#39;til 2000 or even later.


We got surprisingly good coverage, which extended throughout 90% of the city, and most of the outlying suburbs. I think the reason being the garage we broadcast from was centrally located in the city, in a place where no tall structures could affect broadcasting.

I definately would try it again, if I met the right people to keep it going with.


Welcome. ;)

[Connolly]

When we started the radio station, we only aired Wednesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays from 3:00 PM til 8:00 PM. We picked these days/times because the university was least busy. But as we got more into it, and a bigger fan base we started broadcasting 5 days a week (Wed.-Sun.) from 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM.

As for listenership, I have no way of knowing for sure. I would say we had an average listenership of about 8,000. For a non-commercial radio station in the 90&#39;s, this was a lot.


No, at the time RDS encoders werent used very often in the US. I don&#39;t think they even became standard here &#39;til 2000 or even later.


We got surprisingly good coverage, which extended throughout 90% of the city, and most of the outlying suburbs. I think the reason being the garage we broadcast from was centrally located in the city, in a place where no tall structures could affect broadcasting.

I definately would try it again, if I met the right people to keep it going with.


Welcome.

Hey Cheers counterblast :) , I think iv finally run out of questions.

Sounds like you had an interesting time, maybe some time in future you will be on the airwaves again.

Good luck and thanks again, very much appreciated&#33;&#33;

[Connolly]

Radio is our Bomb&#33;

Beginners guide to starting your own free radio station.

PART 1)

http://www.dojo.ie/active/bomb.htm

PART 2) (final two chapters which deal with the technical stuff)

http://www.dojo.ie/active/bomb2.htm

[Connolly]

Some more good links i found on RA.....

http://www.infoshop.org/texts/seizing/toc.html

http://www.freeradio.org/index.php

http://www.infoshop.org/pirate_kiosk.html

http://www.frn.net/vines/

http://www.freeradio.org/images/primer.pdf

http://www.freeradio.org/legal/fccdefense.pdf

http://www.infoshop.org/fccthugs.html

[Question everything]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 18, 2007 12:37 am

About how far does your station broadcast?

Depends on lots of factors.

Antenna height
Terrain
Transmitter power
Antenna type
Weather




alright, the idea in my head is itching to get out.

:D :D

I know how it feels&#33;&#33;&#33;


What else would I need to broadcast? NOTE: This would be for me and others to talk live, not music.

Im still learning about this stuff myself, but ill answer if I can.

Well im not sure what exactly your plan is....

Two way communication?.....that transmitter is not what youd need. You need a CB radio for that( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cb_radio). One where you say "Hello, over and out" then cease transmission to allow the other person to use the frequency. The CB radio will also recieve transmissions. You could also use walkie talkies depending how far you live apart. FM frequencies are not very flexible and can be hindered in lots of ways so youd need high ground or antenna to go any reasonable distance - no matter what power the transmitter is.

Basically, for two way communication using this "package", you would need...

2 Transmitters

2 Antenna (both located on high ground)

Co-ax cable (cable which goes from transmitter to antenna)(For every foot of this cable you lose power and therefore potential distance - so the antenna and transmitter must be close together)

2 Limiters (which are mainly optional) which will improve signal and sort out whats been transmitted so there is no fuzzy noise and that)

2 recievers (a household radio would do)

2 Power source

2 computers with sound card

2 Microphones

2 suitable software on computer

Most importantly - 2 frequencies. If you live in a large city there may be no available frequencies left to broadcast on - (and you are looking for 2 when using a setup like this&#33;&#33;&#33;) Most are taken up by commercial stations - others are taken up by other pirates - and you wouldnt want to interupt these guys http://youtube.com/watch?v=X7FldOQ2DwQ :D This documentary is actually quite good&#33;&#33;

So basically - as a two way system, this is not what this transmitter is deigned for. You need a CB transciever.
I meant roughly, I was wondering where she was centered, to see if I&#39;d be able to pick it up.

[Comrade Rage]

You will get a much larger broadcast radius if you set up an AM station.

[Connolly]

You will get a much larger broadcast radius if you set up an AM station.

Yeah, but who listens to AM. :D

[counterblast]

Originally posted by COMRADE [email protected] 24, 2007 12:06 am
You will get a much larger broadcast radius if you set up an AM station.
You&#39;re also far more likely to get raided by the feds.

[Revolucija]

I would like to start a DIY pirate radio project, anyone knows where to find cheap Veronica hardware?

[Connolly]

Clandestine Radio and the Rise of Fidel Castro

Part 1: http://donmoore.tripod.com/central/cuba/rebel1.html

Part 2: http://donmoore.tripod.com/central/cuba/rebel2.html


posted: http://www.revleft.com/index.php?showtopic=72305

[Comrade Rage]

Pretty good text, BTW.

Nekhludoff:
WTF is Veronica hardware?

Counterblast:
How does AM make you more likely to be raided by the feds?

RedBanner: The majority of political shows air on AM, that&#39;s why mine would be an AM. AM is also the band listened to by radio enthusiasts and others who change radio stations frequently/check out other stations-as opposed to FM, where many people pick one or two stations and stick to them.


THIS THREAD OUGHT TO BE PINNED&#33;&#33;

[Connolly]

Nekhludoff:
WTF is Veronica hardware?

Veronica are manufacturers of transmitters. From what iv read, they are pretty good quality for the price and are well spoken of.

Here is their website...

http://www.veronica.co.uk/


RedBanner: The majority of political shows air on AM, that&#39;s why mine would be an AM. AM is also the band listened to by radio enthusiasts and others who change radio stations frequently/check out other stations-as opposed to FM, where many people pick one or two stations and stick to them.

I suppose it depends on what country we are in. AM here in ireland is empty pretty much, and virtually nonone listens to that band. For me, the target audience would be the average joe - who listen to FM.

Though yeah, in high population areas im sure the FM band cant fit anymore in so stations are forced onto the AM band, where im sure there is many stations in parts of the world who use it and attract listenership. So it depends where we live.

[Connolly]

Interesting piece of history I found here. That is, that the first know illegal radio broadcast in Ireland was by James Connolly&#39;s Irish Citizens Army in the GPO during the Easter Rising.....


""Ireland has a very strong history of free radio. The first station known to broadcast illegally was in 1916 belive it or not . The station was set up by James Connolly and the Irish Citzen Army during the easter rising , when Ireland declared independance from the British empire . It wasn&#39;t the same as radio as we know it today. But with the resorses available at the time it was very effective, the British had laid seige on Dublin The capital city which the rebels had taken over. So all the news that could reach the outside world was controled by the ocupying British forces, leaving the rebels open to total massacare and the world wouldn&#39;t have learned of any thing untill it was all over. On easter monday when the rising took place , one of the first objectives was to take control of the school of wireless telegraphy at the corner of O&#39;Connell street and lower Abbey street , where there was a ships transmitter that had been put out of action at the begining of the war . the transmitter was got into working order and an aerial was erected on the roof , but this had to be done under sniper fire from the british, and the operation took some time .

On tuesday the station began transmitting communiques over the names of Connolly ,Pearse and plunkett , with news that the Irish Republic had been proclaimed in Dublin and that its forces had captured the center of the city . The station went on sending out its bulitins in morse code and the message got to America . The Hearst&#39;s New York American had the headline REVOLUTION IN IRELAND , SAYS CHIPER CABLE , and the sun had REVOLT IN IRELAND .This was a considerable time before the official news came through from London .

On Wednesday transmissions became impossible and the transmitter was caried across the road in an upturned table under heavy fire from British troops , to the G.P.O where it must of perished in the fire when the G.P.O burnt down when the rising was crushed. The main leaders of the rising including James Connolly were executed by the British , except for Devalera because he was an American citizen , and he went on to form the Irish free state some years later . Due to the fact that James Connolly had been executed, many of his ideas were lost and the citezens army were dispanded so the future of Irish politics became more republican than socialist . And because of this Ireland through the next 50 years became a state dominated by the catholic church , so we got rid of the british rule and replaced it with Rome. "

http://www.dojo.ie/active/bomb.htm